Kristin is the Manager of the new Corporate Communications department at Ernest and her drive has become the stuff of legend at HQ in LA. She’s driven by her immediate family. She’s driven by the strong women who’ve inspired her to keep striving for excellence. She’s driven by the need to see her team succeed. And if you’ve ever bumped into her in the breakroom, you know she’s driven by something else, too: coffee. Although with her positive energy, it might actually be the coffee that’s getting a boost from her.

Raised in the small beach town of Santa Barbara, Kristin was the oldest of five children. Which meant babysitting. Which meant missing out on some stuff that other sibling-less tweens and teens could do. But those lost hours at the mall or the movies pale in comparison to the life lessons she gained from being a big sis. It taught her independence and responsibility. And of course, the importance of family. Which, like so many others, is the word she uses to describe working at Ernest.

So as Corporate Communications Manager, what does Kristin do, exactly? Short answer: she communicates. In fact, she holds a college degree in it. Which comes in extraordinarily handy when dealing with campaigns, marketing collateral, event planning, graphics and text, company announcements, launches, initiatives, travel and Insider content. It’s also very useful for another, much simpler reason. It helps her connect with people. Especially her very small team of three. Her words about them were this, “I wouldn’t be where I am without their support. I love them.” We have the sneaking suspicion the feeling’s mutual.

One of the reasons could be that Kristin has held every job in Corporate Communications. And, little known fact: she started at Ernest as a temp. This background of starting from the ground up helps her relate to the ones she works alongside.

Because she’ll never ask for something that’s unrealistic. Simply because she’s done it before. Hers is the type of story that’s so completely Ernest. Proof that humble beginnings, hard work and hands-on is a real recipe for success. To this day, Kristin prides herself on keeping an open line of communication with her team, collaborating with open arms across divisions and always staying open to new projects and opportunities to grow.

Now, let’s get down to the fun stuff. She was stumped by one of the interview questions, “What is your E-Team name?” So what did she do? She opened it up to her team. And they gave her one with some serious muscle. KV-12. You know, like V12. Like the engine. When asked what the next Cardboard Chaos creation should be, Kristin fielded that one all by herself: a cardboard robot. But not just any paper-and-epoxy android. She suggested a BARISTA robot to brew and deliver coffee to the employees of Ernest. When you put those two answers together, you understand what makes her inspirational engine roar.

When she’s not working with her Ernest family, she’s still surrounded by family. With a loving daughter and a husband who’s one of seven kids (that’s 12 in-laws and outlaws total, if you’re keeping count), there’s a lot of love to go around. And being in LA, there a lot places to go to spread it. Kristin loves going the beaches, parks, museums and sporting events to take full advantage of what the City of Angels has to offer. In fact, ever since she was a little girl from the sleepy little seaside town, she’s always been attracted to the big city.

We’re thankful for that. That she made the two-hour migration down the coast 10 years ago. That she walked through our doors nine years ago. And that we’ll be able to keep learning and growing with her for many, many years to come.

When you meet Anne, four M’s come to mind. Mentor, multifaceted and “Man oh man, is there anything this woman can’t tackle?”Oh, and the fifth: Mom. From helping out the new recruits, to helping everybody figure out a new back-end system, to helping raise a beautiful family, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Let’s take a look at the journey Anne took and see what continues to drive her success.

Anne was born in the Philippines, then moved to the US when she was four. Her father made the difficult decision to move from a very comfortable life in the Philippines. With both a commercial fish farm and commercial real-estate business, life was good. But the politics at the time were anything but. This meant her father traveling between the US and the Philippines constantly while Anne was growing up. Meanwhile, her mother was in charge of raising three daughters while he was away. Oh, and working a full time job herself, too.

It’s no surprise that when asked who her heroes are, Anne’s quick response was “My parents.” They instilled a sense of responsibility and sticktoitiveness that stays with Anne to this day. It also drives her to live up to the three words that describe her best “Positive,” “Hardworking” and “Thoughtful.” Maybe that’s also why the superhero she relates to most is Captain Marvel. 

Before we get into Anne’s vast and varied achievements, there’s one thing that’s important to note: there’s no limit to how far you can grow at Ernest if you’re determined and stay hungry. When it comes to determination, Anne is a bona fide superstar. She began her professional career in medical device sales, which gave her the opportunity to travel the world on business.She began her tenure at Ernest as a Client Coordinator Manager, creating processes to help both her clients and her team. Always keeping in mind that establishing and maintaining relationships was key.

She then went on to become a Customer Relationship Development Manager, first working with the seasoned sales team, then focusing her efforts on helping the rookies find their footing. This is where the first M came into play: mentorship. She loved the opportunity to show the new recruits the ropes, making them stronger salespeople and client partners.

Next, Anne made her way here via Amgen, a part of Ernest Business Services. There, she honed her leadership chops by managing a team of 30 to develop marketing materials for clients.

In the meantime, Anne felt like there were just too many hours in the day. So she decided to take on a couple (OK, five) side projects. Again, deep breaths and try to keep up. She’s a member of the Ernest Brand Council. She volunteers for countless committees across the company. She tirelessly promotes Ernest culture.

AAAAAAND…SAP.

Yes, that transition to a new back-end system which was a huge pain in a lot of peoples back-sides. But Anne was undaunted by this difficult but necessary upgrade. In fact, she jumped in feet-first to create training programs, work process documentation and platform testing to make sure all the teams were set up for success.

In case you didn’t notice, we just covered the second, third and fourths M’s: the multifaceted and the man oh man.

Now, to the final M: Mom. Anne and her family recently moved to Reno, where she is currently Director of Operations. Which means at work and at home, she’s in charge. At work, she’ll roll up her sleeves in any of the Ernest arenas, whether it’s doing a delivery, cutting a PO. Literally, anything (see above). On the family front, she’s drastically cut her commute, which she now gets to spend with her husband and two sons. The kids can ride their dirt bikes, there’s more open space and Anne can enjoy time with her two boys, who are her main source of inspiration. Plus, she’s just a short hop back to LA to see family and friends.

So whether you’re down in LA, up in Reno or way over there in Raleigh-Durham, you’re likely to see and hear from Anne. If there’s a new challenge to be solved, a new committee to be formed or a new initiative to be tackled, she’s in. And if you ever want to run an idea by Anne or need a hand solving a problem or just chat, she’s in for that, too.

When a recruiter tried to sell Vanessa Dichari on a box company, she rolled her eyes and thought, “Don’t waste my time.” Then she went in for the interview. The people were great, the challenge was exciting, the fit felt right.

As a Client Relationship Manager in Portland, OR, Vanessa has fully embraced all things packaging. But what gets her most excited are the ways Ernest challenges expectations and pushes the limits. “It’s a very open-minded culture,” Vanessa said. “The people here are what make it different. And I love sharing our creative solutions with our clients, like Cardboard Chaos. Who would have thought you could build a surfboard or a guitar from corrugated?!?”

“This is a company that lets you really capitalize on your strengths.”

In just six years, Vanessa is on track to becoming a top-tier CRM, but the journey wasn’t easy. After a decade in the telecom industry, she faced a big learning curve. But Vanessa has a lot of E-Team in her, so naturally, she faced the challenge head on. In true Ernest-like fashion, she innovated to solve problems for our customers, which made her story compelling, and opened a lot of doors.

Vanessa continues to build a successful book of business that’s breaking records month after month. She loves helping her clients find solutions for their unique problems or just simply giving them better options. Her story is living proof that you should never underestimate the power of perseverance.

Today, Vanessa remains focused on building her book, but is equally focused on finding balance in her life. Which is why she takes time out to pursue one of her top personal goals: traveling. Her favorite spot? Thailand. She loves the people, the serenity and the quality of life. Not to mention the fact that it’s a place many people wouldn’t expect her to go.

This makes complete sense, of course, because delivering the unexpected is one of her true strengths. It’s all part of staying committed, staying balanced and going above and beyond for her clients. With Vanessa, that’s one thing you can always count on. When it comes to exceeding expectations, expect her continue to lead the way.